The Struggle for Equality Civil Rights in the

The Struggle for Equality Civil Rights in the 50’s and 60’s

What was life like before the Civil Rights movement? ► Use the pictures in the following slides to make some statements describing life in the U. S. before the Civil Rights movement.

What is segregation? ► Segregation is the separation of people according to race or ethnicity. ► Segregation can be about separating African -Americans from Whites, or about separating Hispanics from Whites. ► Before 1950 segregation was common and normal in the U. S. A. Segregation deprived minorities of their rights.

Two kinds of segregation ► de jure segregation ► § Segregation by law ► Common ► § Segregation without laws in the South Laws forbid African. Americans from attending the same church, using the same swimming pool, eating in restaurants, or marrying White people. de facto segregation ► Common ► in the North Housing discrimination made segregation in the North. White community groups did not allow non. Whites to live in White neighborhoods. Every ethnic group had its own part of town.

Plessy v Ferguson Is Separate Equal ? ► Facts: § 1896 Homer Plessy took a seat in the “Whites Only” car of a train and refused to move. He was arrested, tried, and convicted in the District Court of New Orleans for breaking Louisiana’s segregation law. ► Question: § Was the Louisiana law separating blacks and whites on railroad cars legal? ► Decision: § Split decision that “separate but equal” law did not violate the 14 th amendment

Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka KS Is Separate Equal ? ► Facts: § In 1954 Linda Brown’s parents wanted her to attend the school close to her home. Kansas law stated she had to attend a segregated school. NAACP and attorney Thurgood Marshall tested the law. ► Question: § Can Linda Brown attend an “all white” school? ► Decision: § “separate educational facilities inherently unequal” § desegregation required across the nation

Reason #1 – World War II and the Korean War ► During World War II and the Korean War, racial minorities such as African-Americans, Hispanics, or Native Americans had made many gains. The U. S. military had needed their help and had allowed them to fight. Many came home heroes and earned respect.

Reason #1 – World War II and the Korean War ► Most people believed America had fought those wars for democracy and freedom. Racial segregation started to seem un-American to many. People remembered that Hitler and the other “bad guys” had been racists.

Reason #2 – The Cold War ► During the Cold War, America was trying to convince the world that it was better than the Soviet Union, racism made America look bad to the rest of the world. ► Communists could use America’s racism as an example showing that the U. S. was evil.

Reason #3 - television ► With the arrival of television, Americans could watch the news every day. The nonviolent civil disobedience used by King made the civil rights protesters look like good people and made their opponents look hateful, violent, and ugly. People could also hear Dr. King’s inspiring speeches. He was a powerful speaker who knew how to change people’s hearts and minds.

NAACP and leaders ► Thurgood Marshall, lawyer, cases involving school segregation ► Rosa Parks—refuses to give up her seat on the bus to a white man and as a result the Montgomery Bus Boycott occurs. ► Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. —he gains national prominence as a leader during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Arrested in Birmingham § Letter from a Birmingham Jail.

How did they do it? ► Civil rights leaders used non-violent protests, civil disobedience, and legal action to change the U. S.

non-violent protest ► Boycotts § Refusing to buy goods or services from a business in order to force it to change its policies ► Hunger strikes § Refusing to eat anything in order to get attention for your cause ► Petitions § Writing a letter to ask the government or a company to change its policy, and then getting as many people to sign it as possible. ► Marches and demonstrations § Getting as many people as possible to gather in one place to get attention to your cause ► Strikes § Refusing to work in order to force your managers or government to change their policies

Civil disobedience ► Breaking the law or causing a disturbance in order to get attention for your cause. ► Sit ins ►The protesters come into a place, sit down, and refuse to move.

Legal action ► Lawyers can challenge a law or policy in court. If they convince the judge that the law or policy is unconstitutional, then the judge will order them to change. ► People can speak at government hearings or meetings and try to convince legislators to make new laws or repeal unfair ones.

As you watch the next part of the presentation, try to classify each action taken by the people in the civil rights movement.

Linda Brown ► In 1951, a girl named Linda Brown wanted to go to school. The white school was very close by, but the African-American school was far away. Her parents sued the Board of Education to try to force them to allow Linda to attend the white school.

Linda Brown ► In 1954, in the case of Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court decided to hear Linda’s case. Chief Justice Earl Warren said that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. He ordered all the schools to end segregation.

Rosa Parks ► In Alabama, the bus company had a rule that said all African-Americans had to sit in the back of the bus. ► In 1955, Rosa Parks, an African-American women, was coming home from work and was very tired. The seats in the back were full, but the front seats were empty. She sat down in the front. When the bus driver ordered her to move, she refused. He called the police and they arrested her.

Rosa Parks ► The minister of Rosa’s church, Martin Luther King, decided to get involved. He told the African-Americans to stop riding the bus. For months, African-Americans walked or gave each other rides. The bus company was losing a lot of money because most of their passengers were African-Americans. Eventually, they were forced to change their rule. Then, in 1956, the Supreme Court declared segregation on public transportation unconstitutional. This success made King famous across the U. S.

College students in Greensboro ► In 1960, many restaurants would not serve African. Americans. To protest this, some African. American college students in Greensboro, North Carolina decided to go to a lunch counter at a Woolworth’s Department store and order food. The servers refused to serve them, but the

College students in Greensboro ► These lunch counter protests spread throughout the U. S. Many white students came along to support the African-Americans.

College students in Greensboro ► The students always stayed peaceful, even when attacked or arrested. This made them look good and made the racists look hateful and evil. This strategy was very successful for convincing White people to support civil rights for minorities.

1957 Little Rock, Arkansas Central High School Orval Faubus – Governor of Arkansas 101 st Airborne sent in by President Eisenhower to enforce the court order

1962 “Ole Miss” James Meredith-1 st black student

Southern Manifesto ► Southern Manifesto was signed by ALL but three southern leaders § Al Gore, Sr. , Tennessee § Lyndon Johnson, Texas § Estes Kefauver, Tennessee ► Called for resistance –appealed to emotions of prejudices and paranoia that a united support of peaceful compliance might have diluted in the South

Greensboro, No Carolina Lunch Counter Sit Ins

March to Selma

March on Washington August 28, 1963

Excerpt…”I Have a Dream”

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ► Because of the Civil Rights movement, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This law ended all racial discrimination in public facilities such as restrooms, restaurants, buses, movie theaters, and swimming pools.

LBJ-”We Shall Overcome”

Voting Rights Act 1965 ► Prohibited discrimination at voting polls ► Established bilingual ballots in areas with large amount of non-English speaking minorities ► Outlawed ► Gave literacy tests for voters Federal Government power to oversee all elections

Civil Rights act of 1968 ► Written as a follow-up to the CRA of 1964 ► Created to enforce equal housing opportunities for all races ► Basically you cannot refuse to rent or sell a house to anyone, anywhere, based upon their race

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“Momentum” Timeline ► May 1961, Freedom Riders ► Aug ► Sep ► Summer 1962, integrating the University of Mississippi ► Apr 1963, Birmingham ► June 1963, integrating the University of Alabama 1963, March on Washington of ’ 64 Freedom Summer

Freedom Riders ► Apr-Dec 1961 Who: CORE and SNCC (congress of racial equality and student nonviolent coordinating committee) ► ► Plan of Action: to test the SC decision banning segregation on interstate bus routes ► Obstacles: violence ► Results: Desegregated busses due to loss of profit

University of Mississippi ► September 1962 ► Who: James Meredith and JFK ► Plan of Action: integrate UM ► Obstacles: Governor Ross Barnett, riots, and death ► Results: JFK ordered federal marshals to escort Meredith. James Meredith

Heading to Birmingham April 1963 ► Who: Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, MLK, and the SCLC ► Plan of Action: demonstrate and march ► Obstacles: Police violence ► ► Results: an end to segregation in Birmingham

University of Alabama June 1963 ► Who: Gov. George Wallace ► Plan of Action: integrate the University of Alabama ► Obstacles: Governor George Wallace ► Results: JFK used federal troops to enforce the desegregation ►

March on Washington August 1963 ► Who: CR leaders, to include MLK ► Plan of Action: converge on the nation’s capital ► Obstacles: ? ► Results: Short Term=continued violence (murder and assassination), Long Term=Civil Rights Act of 1964 ►

Freedom Summer of ’ 64 ► Who: SNCC and volunteers ► Where: Mississippi ► Plan of Action: register voters ► Obstacles: Local officers killed volunteers ► Results: Congress did not pass a Voters Rights act. ►

The Selma Campaign Early 1965 ► Who: SCLC and SNCC ► Plan of Action: Voter registration drive and march to Montgomery ► Obstacles: violent, local law officers ► Reaction: LBJ responded by asking Congress for the swift passage of a new voting rights act. It passed in 1965. ►